Bouma is former public school teacher who supports education propositions

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MOSCOW, ID - Gresham Bouma is the republican candidate for Idaho's District 5 State Senator. He is running against incumbent Dan Schmidt.

Both candidates agree that stabilizing the state's economy should be the top priority. However, Schmidt believes that it can be done by increasing funding to education and healthcare, while Bouma says tax cuts are the answer.

"We have to be careful that the burden of government doesn't get so large that it actually smothers our small businesses especially, which is where recoveries and growth come from," said Bouma.

When it comes to healthcare, Bouma said that he would like to see free market reforms in medicine that would give citizens more options. Unlike Schmidt, he supports the controversial education propositions because he believes that the laws would hold teachers accountable and ensure that taxpayer money is being put to good use. Bouma is also concerned about the rural issues in Idaho, such as the population growth of the Canadian wolf and their impact on game and livestock. Bouma is a small business owner from Viola, and he is a former public school teacher.